


know where you belong (know it's with me)

by SmileHoney



Series: you, me, my whole world (zukka week 2021) [1]
Category: Avatar: The Last Airbender
Genre: Aged-Up Character(s), Domestic Fluff, Established Relationship, M/M, Marriage Proposal, Picnics, Post-Canon, Swords, Tooth-Rotting Fluff, Zukka Week 2021, it starts out serious but i swear its not, this is so fluffy yall idk what else to tell you
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2021-03-14
Updated: 2021-03-14
Packaged: 2021-03-22 20:00:16
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 5,718
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/30043944
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/SmileHoney/pseuds/SmileHoney
Summary: Zuko had been acting weird- weirder than usual, at least.He was still doing all the normal Zuko things, which meant that anyone who didn’t know him very well would think he was fine.Except Sokka wasn’t just anyone, and after five years of dating Zuko and three more of being his  best friend before that, he knew him like the back of his hand- well enough to know that he was being weird.or,A trip, a picnic, a sword, and a proposal... Not necessarily in that order.
Relationships: Sokka/Zuko (Avatar)
Series: you, me, my whole world (zukka week 2021) [1]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/2211711
Comments: 28
Kudos: 185





	know where you belong (know it's with me)

**Author's Note:**

> wooooooooo zukka week day one!!!!! this is for the prompt swords :)
> 
> okay so tbh this was mostly written this morning because i've had horrible writer's block lately, so hopefully this is okay.... i just wanted some fluffy zukka really.
> 
> also there's some proposal lore here, but it didn't really fit to explain it anywhere in the fic... basically the idea in this fic is that you propose by making something for your significant other, and because it's zukka.... a sword is involved
> 
> title from you belong with me by taylor swift
> 
> hope you enjoy :D

Zuko had been acting weird- weirder than usual, at least.

Not in any obvious way- he was still waking up too early and staying up too late, still going to long meetings and spending hours pouring over scrolls, still drinking tea and eating extra-spicy fire flakes, still meditating in the mornings and braiding back his hair at night. He was still doing all the normal Zuko things, which meant that anyone who didn’t know him very well would think he was fine.

Except Sokka wasn’t just anyone, and after five years of dating Zuko and three more of being his best friend before that, he knew him like the back of his hand- well enough to know that he was being weird.

He couldn’t say what exactly was up with his boyfriend, just that he’d been a little more on edge recently. He’d been spending even more time in his office, if that was even possible, shutting himself away for hours at a time. He’d been receiving and writing letters nonstop, a messenger continuously running between the aviary and Zuko’s office. And, perhaps weirdest of all, was that when Sokka asked who he was writing to or if everything was okay, Zuko just gave him a dazzling smile, pressed a soft kiss to his cheek, and insisted it was nothing.

He trusted him, of course, and knew that if anything serious was happening he’d be the first one Zuko would tell, but he couldn’t help but be curious and a tiny bit worried. 

After all, for the fourth night in a row, by the time Sokka set aside the scroll he’d been reading, it had long past reached the time where it felt wrong to say it was late at night but was impossible to describe as early morning… And Zuko was still nowhere to be seen. Sokka had been in bed waiting for him for two hours now, according to the candle at his bedside, and he sighed as he got up to pull his boyfriend from whatever paperwork he was absorbed in now.

He wrapped Zuko’s red silk robe around himself, hoping it might act as an extra motivating factor to drag him to bed, and made his way through the dark hallways of the palace on silent feet. The path to his office was familiar, as were the guards stationed along the way, and he gave them all slight nods as he passed them.

The double doors to Zuko’s office were shut tight, but Sokka could see light spilling out from the crack under the door, and he didn’t hesitate before knocking lightly.

“Yeah?” Zuko’s tired voice called out, and he pushed the door open. When Zuko saw his face poke around the edge of it, he set down the papers he’d been holding quickly, and smiled softly. “Hey, love.”

Sokka couldn’t help but notice he set them upside down. 

“Hey,” he murmured back, stepping into the room fully and padding over to where Zuko sat at his desk.He perched himself on the armrest of his chair, Zuko’s arm instantly coming up to wrap around his waist, steadying him and pulling him close. “What are those?”

Zuko’s eyes darted to the parchments. “Grain yield reports.”

Sokka raised an unimpressed eyebrow at him, recognizing the lie immediately. One, it wasn’t the right time of year for the grain harvest. Two, Zuko wouldn’t set that sort of report upside down, obscuring what was written on the page. Three, his good eye was scrunched the way it always did when he lied. 

“Mhm,” he hummed. “Fascinating stuff, is it?”

Zuko flushed, though he was indignant when he said, “Yes. It is. Lots of uh… Grain.”

”Can the _grain_ wait so that you can come to bed soon? It’s late, baby.”

Zuko sighed, pressing a kiss to his shoulder. “I know it is, love. I’m sorry. I just have to finish up this paperwork and then I can.”

“I know I keep asking, but is everything okay? This is the fourth night in a row you’ve been up this late,” he asked quietly.

“Yeah, of course. Everything’s fine,” Zuko smiled up at him, adoration shining in his beautiful eyes. The candlelight highlighted the flecks of light brown in them, making them glow almost golden. 

“If everything’s fine, then it can wait until tomorrow morning,” Sokka pointed out, brushing a loose strand of his dark hair back tenderly. “Please? I feel like I’ve barely seen you this week. And you know I always sleep better when you’re next to me.”

Perhaps it was a dirty trick he was using, trying to guilt Zuko into coming to bed this way, but at this point he was past caring. He could see exhaustion lining his boyfriend’s face and pulling his shoulders down, and he’d do anything to get Zuko to rest.

At his words, Zuko’s eyes fluttered shut and he leaned into Sokka’s touch. When he pressed a kiss to Sokka’s palm, which had come to rest on his cheek, he thought for sure that he’d convinced him. Except a moment later, Zuko opened his eyes, pulled away, and said, “It can't, though. I leave tomorrow.”

“You what?” Sokka asked him in shock, standing up and looking down at him. Any tiredness he’d felt quickly evaporated as he processed what his boyfriend had said. 

He knew Zuko’s schedule as well as his own- he had every tiny detail memorized, down to which advisors he met with (so that he knew which days he’d met with the worse ones and would need extra cuddles) or how long it took him to get from one place to another (so that he could walk with him between meetings). He would  _ know _ if Zuko had a trip planned. He would  _ know _ if Zuko was leaving. 

Zuko’s good eye widened. “Did I not tell you I was leaving?”

“No,” he said pointedly. “You didn’t.”

“...Oh. I’m sorry, love, I thought I did.”

At least, he thought to himself, it explained why Zuko had been acting so strange this week- he always got hectic before a trip, worried that everything would go wrong while he was gone. 

He sighed and reached out to brush his thumb across his cheek. “It’s okay, I’m just surprised. How long will you be gone?”

“Just the weekend. I’m-“ he faltered. “Uh, Uncle is going to be at Jeong Jeong and Piandao’s for a pai sho thing, or something, and asked me to come visit since it’s been a while.”

Sokka frowned. ‘Pai sho things’ were usually a disguise for White Lotus business, in which case he should be invited. Unless, he wondered, in all his worrying about Zuko and getting caught in his own work, he missed the notification of their next meeting- it wouldn’t be the first time. 

“Is it a White Lotus pai sho thing? Did I miss an invite again?”

Zuko’s cheeks were noticeably pink, and his good eye scrunched again as he lied, “Um. No. No, it’s not. This is just… Just old men playing a game and having tea.”

“You’re a terrible liar,” he declared, chuckling when Zuko's eyes widened even more. He trusted him, though, and knew that if he wasn’t telling him why he was leaving it was for a reason, so he pressed a kiss to the top of his head. “But that’s okay. Give Piandao, Jeong Jeong, and Iroh my best, alright?”

He relaxed slightly and nodded. “Of course.”

“But also, baby, if you’re going to be gone for just a few days, it can wait. You’ve been working yourself so thin this week, and you should have rest before you travel. Will you  _ please _ come to bed? Give me at least one night where my boyfriend cuddles with me before he leaves?”

Zuko looked away from his face to the papers strewn before him, then back to him, opening his mouth as if to object. Sokka didn’t give him the chance though, before he began pouting- Zuko could never say no to his polar puppy eyes. Again, a dirty trick, but… He’d do anything at this point. 

“Sokka…” Zuko warned, clearly having caught on to his plan. “I have to get this paperwork done, come on.” He didn’t make any attempt to go back to work though, just kept staring at Sokka warmly, and he knew then he was going to give in. Sure enough, a moment later he sighed. “I guess I am pretty tired… Fine.”

He tried not to look too proud of himself when Zuko actually stood up and waved a hand to douse the candles around the room, though he wasn’t very successful if Zuko’s eye roll was anything to go by. 

He stuck his hand out to Zuko after the candles were extinguished, and he didn’t hesitate before taking it and following him to their room.

\- - -

Sokka woke up early in the morning to Zuko sitting on the edge of the bed, fully dressed in his travel robes and a travel pack at his side, brushing his hair back to press a gentle kiss to his forehead.

“No, Zuko... It’s so early,” he grumbled, looking up at him through sleepy eyes. “And it’s cold now. Can’t you stay a little longer? I need my space heater.”

Zuko chuckled, brushing his knuckles down to Sokka’s chin and smiling sappily. “You know I would if I could, love, but I have to leave… I promise, though, I’ll be back in two nights. It’ll be like I was never gone.”

“I’ll still miss you. I already do,” he murmured, kissing his palm in an echo of what Zuko had done the night before. “But I hope you have fun with your uncle… Drink a lot of tea for me.”

“Thank you, love. I’ll miss you too,” Zuko sighed, leaning down to press another kiss to his forehead.

Before he could completely pull away, Sokka lifted up his hand and cupped it around the back of Zuko’s neck, guiding him down at the same time that he leaned up until they could press their lips together sweetly. Zuko sighed into it, even with Sokka’s morning breath, and pressed a little deeper for a moment. Sokka thought that if his heart didn’t shatter from how much he already missed him, then it might burst with how much he loved him.

“I love you,” he whispered when Zuko pulled away, wishing there were better words to describe what he felt.

“I love you too, Sokka,” Zuko murmured before pressing one last lingering kiss to his lips and rising to his feet. He stepped away from the bed, grabbing his pack as he went, and stopped to look back at Sokka when he got to the door. “I’ll see you in a few days, alright?”

Sokka had already fallen back asleep.

\- - -

It was always weird when Zuko was gone, the palace taking on an oppressive silence and boredom settling deep into his veins. Which didn’t really make sense, because it wasn’t like there weren’t all of the guards, advisors, and staff who called out greetings to Sokka and each other. It wasn’t like he didn’t have an entire pile of work to get through, or plans for inventions to sketch out, or scrolls to read, or meetings to attend to. It wasn’t like there weren’t things to keep him busy for the few days that Zuko was gone.

Still, he found himself wandering around aimlessly during the day searching for Zuko, tapping his foot during meetings he counted down the minutes until his return, and reaching for him at night when he was trying to fall asleep. Still, he found himself missing Zuko’s steady company as he read through scrolls and his warmth at night, missing his notes during meetings and his sleepy laughter, missing his best friend and lover.

He was sure it seemed a little bit sad to anyone else, or as if he was so dependent on Zuko that he couldn’t handle a few days without him, but he didn’t really see it that way. Instead, he saw it as a reassurance that Zuko was the one he wanted to spend his life with- that the long, narrow box sitting under a pile of his tunics, just waiting to be given to Zuko when he proposed, was the right thing. 

And so, the morning of the day Zuko returned, Sokka took out the box, took one last determined glance at the item inside it, and set a plan into motion. 

The rest of the morning he was an anxious mess, barely able to concentrate on the few meetings he had, and he ended up leaving each of them with an apology tumbling from his lips. He could barely eat lunch, a fact that didn’t go unnoticed by the kitchen staff if their knowing smirks were anything to go by. 

Luckily he didn’t have any afternoon meetings, his personal advisor clearly knowing he’d be too eager for Zuko’s arrival to focus on them. Instead, he used the time to go to the training courtyard with his sword- the solid steel one that had replaced Space Sword after he lost it- and tried to expel some of his anxious energy by moving slowly through his forms and focusing on his technique. It was weird, at first, having a sword in his hand and not sparring Zuko, but he soon lost himself in the flow and rhythm of the movement. Before he knew it, the sun was creeping lower and lower and there was only an hour until Zuko’s return, so he went to take a quick bath.

By the time the sun had disappeared from view and the sky was a pale purple, Sokka was down at the air balloon field, rocking on his heels impatiently as Zuko’s balloon lowered itself to the ground slowly.

He could see him in the basket, leaning over to look at him eagerly, and wasn’t the slightest bit surprised when Zuko’s impatience won out and he jumped over the edge of the basket. Sokka spared a moment to laugh at the outraged yell from the air balloon pilot before he took off running, launching himself at Zuko. 

Zuko caught him effortlessly, arms wrapping around Sokka tightly enough that he could lift his legs and wrap them around Zuko’s waist in a full body hug.

“I missed you so much,” he laughed into his neck, squeezing tightly.

“Me too,” Zuko responded happily, the smile that he could hear in his raspy voice like music to Sokka’s ears. “I’m so happy to see you.”

Sokka pulled his head back just enough to press a firm kiss to Zuko’s lips, grinning into it. “I was a mess all day,” he said before kissing him again. “I think I owe every single person who had to deal with me a fruit basket.”

“I’ll alert the royal coffers to prepare for a complete withdrawal,” Zuko teased back, kissing him a third time. “My boyfriend, single handedly ruining the nation’s economy because he owes everyone a fruit basket.”

“You know you love me,” he responded smugly, unwrapping his legs so that he was standing again.

Zuko didn’t hesitate before grabbing his hand and pressing a kiss to his knuckles. “I do love you.”

Sokka smiled sappily at him, overcome by love, and it made him all the more eager to see his plan through. “I love you too, and I’m really happy you’re home… You want to do dinner tonight? I want to hear all about how Uncle beat you at pai sho.”

Zuko rolled his eyes. “I thought you said you missed me.”   
  
“I did!” he exclaimed as they started walking. “I just know you, and I know that pai sho isn’t your strong suit.”

“You’re so mean to me,” he whined, though the effect was lost in his smile. “Anyways, yes, dinner sounds good. I was actually going to ask you myself, so…”

“I guess it was meant to be, then."

Zuko’s answering smile was blinding. “I guess it was.”

Sokka thought of the box that was going to be hidden by the turtleduck pond, and returned it easily. 

As they walked up the winding streets back to the palace, hands clasped, Sokka ran through some of the things that had happened in the past three days of meetings.

“There was nothing really exciting that happened, honestly… Minister Takoma tried to get me to sign off on an utterly horrible grain tax that would lead to a huge shortage, so I had to knock some sense into him- figuratively, of course, since beating up a minister wouldn’t go over well. Oh, and Tuan’s proposal about the increased Summer Solstice Festival budget went really well. I think they actually managed to convince General Takahashi to give up some of the military budget, which… Well, you know how hard that can be. Takahashi clings to his budget like a saber-tooth moose-lion clings to its baby. Which I know from experience.”

“Really?” Zuko asked, looking pleased (and also completely ignoring Sokka’s reference to Foo-Foo Cuddlypoops). “That’s amazing. Tuan must be so thrilled, and I’m sure you’re very proud.”

Sokka shrugged humbly. “I knew they could do it, even without my help, but… Yeah, I am. It was so seamless and clear, and their ideas were so well outlined. And knowing that I was able to help them feel just a little bit better about their idea and presenting does feel good. They’re a good kid, you know?”

“I do,” Zuko hummed happily. “I’m sorry I missed their presentation.”

Sokka shrugged slightly. “There will be more. But I think they might’ve passed out if you were there yesterday, honestly. Added pressure and whatnot.”

“Hm, that’s fair. Maybe it was better this way… What about today? How were your meetings?”

He blushed. “Honestly… Not good. I couldn’t pay attention at all. I was too busy thinking about you, and how much I missed you, and how badly I just wanted to kiss you-”

“You’re unbelievable sometimes,” Zuko interrupted before leaning in and kissing him firmly. “But it’s fine. I’m sure they weren’t that important.”

Sokka thought about the Minister of Energy and the unfinished blueprints for Republic City, and winced.

Zuko groaned. “Sokka…”

“I’m sorry! I just missed you! I already rescheduled all of them, anyway.” Zuko gave a long suffering sigh, but Sokka was saved from any further reprimanding (however lighthearted it was) by their arrival at the palace. He caught the eye of one of the staff members who he’d asked to help him set up, and she gave him a subtle nod. “Alright, enough about that… Come on. Follow me.”

“Sokka, what- I thought we were doing dinner?” he gestured down the hall to the dining room, the exact opposite of where Sokka was leading him. 

“We are!” he laughed, tugging on Zuko’s arm. “Just trust me.”

He pulled him through the palace and to his mother’s gardens, where the staff had set out several paper lanterns that bathed it in a golden light. At the edge of the pond, a blanket had been set out, on top of which was the basket that held their food. Sokka cast a furtive glance around, checking for the box, and he saw it tucked beneath one of the exposed roots of the cherry blossom tree. Quickly, before Zuko could see it, he tugged him over to the blanket- not that it mattered, because he was looking around at all the lanterns and the basket in awe.

“Sokka, this is beautiful. Did you do this for me?”

“Yeah,” he murmured softly, brushing his thumb over Zuko’s knuckles. “I missed you after not getting to see you all week and then you left, so I wanted to do something nice to welcome you home.”

He kissed his cheek softly. “This is amazing. Thank you, love.”

He beamed and grabbed the basket, pulling it into his lap to begin pulling their food out. The staff had given him everything he’d asked for- Zuko’s favorite fire noodles, chicken gyoza, spring rolls, a steaming plate of roast duck, a bowl of wonton soup, and fire kumquats- but they had also sent them with a bottle of sake, mochi, and fruit tarts. He had to laugh in appreciation at how much the staff cared and how much effort they put into making this as perfect a night they could, and set the remaining items aside for later.

“Wow,” Zuko whistled lowly, looking at all the food scattered around them. “How are we going to eat all of this?”

“I, personally, am starved,” he proclaimed, reaching first for the plate of gyoza and taking several. “I barely ate lunch and then I practiced with my sword for a while, so…”

“So basically most of the food here is for you,” Zuko teased, reaching predictably for the bowl of red tinted noodles and vegetables. 

“Pretty much,” he grinned back exaggeratedly as he continued to load his plate. “But enough about me… I feel like I’ve been talking since you got back. How was your trip?”

“It was good! You know how Uncle and all of them are. Lots of uh… Lots of pai sho and tea.”

“So nothing out of the usual, huh?” Sokka asked with a slight laugh. 

“Yeah, nothing out of the usual. But it was really good to see Uncle. I didn’t realize how much I’d missed him, or how long it had actually been since I saw him, you know? It was just really nice to get to hug him and ask him for advice on some of the issues I’ve been dealing with. And you know it’s always a riot when he’s with Piandao and Jeong Jeong, so there was a lot of laughter… Usually at my expense, considering how bad at the game I am.”

“At least your tea brewing has improved,” he snarked, smiling at him wryly. 

Zuko rolled his eyes, but leaned in slightly so that their shoulders pressed together tightly and he was close enough to brush a kiss to Sokka’s cheek. “At least there’s that.”

Sokka suddenly  _ really _ wanted it to be after dessert at the motion, his mind straying once more to the box under the tree. 

He pushed it aside, knowing they’d get there eventually, and instead focused on enjoying the moment. It was easy to do, what with Zuko’s steady warmth at his side where he hadn’t shifted away, the gentle rasp of his words as he told him more about his visit with the three old men, and the way the lanterns cast shadows across Zuko's face that danced with the flickering of the flame. 

He was achingly beautiful, and Sokka was reminded over and over again of how in love with Zuko he was. 

(Especially when he did an impression of Jeong Jeong that was so good it had Sokka in tears, he was laughing so hard.)

Once they had finished their main dishes, Zuko laid back against the blanket, his long hair pooling around his head since he had taken his crown off. He was beautiful, and Sokka rolled over to kiss him sweetly before settling down next to him. Quickly, Zuko pulled him closer, until Sokka’s head was pillowed on his bicep. 

“I missed you,” he murmured, running his fingers through the shaved hair on the side of Sokka’s head. “I know I keep saying it, but it’s true.”

Sokka hummed, eyes tracing the constellations above them, remembering all the other nights they’d spent just like this. “I missed you too. It’s so quiet when you’re gone. Which I know doesn’t make sense, because everyone else was still here, but it is… I guess it’s because the person who matters most is gone.”

Zuko's grip on him tightened ever so slightly, and when Sokka turned his head to look up at him, his burning gaze was already fixed on him. Shivers ran down Sokka’s back under the intensity of it, and Zuko smirked before he lunged forward to capture his lips in a scalding kiss. 

“I know exactly what you mean,” Zuko whispered against his lips, the adoration in his eyes and breathlessness of his voice not matching the ferocity of the kiss, and Sokka  _ loved him.  _

He loved him, and suddenly didn’t want to- no, he  _ couldn't- _ wait anymore, the fact that they hadn’t yet had dessert be damned. 

“I have something for you,” he murmured softly. “Stay here.”

Before Zuko could say anything, he hopped to his feet, strode over to the cherry blossom tree, and pulled the box out from under the root. He brushed a few flecks of dirt off the lid and double checked that everything was perfect, then turned back to Zuko. 

He sat down carefully, resting the narrow box on his knees, hands resting lightly on top of the lid. 

Zuko shifted so that he was across from him, mimicking his position as his eyes roved across the dark wood of the box. “What’s this?” he asked quietly, head cocked curiously. 

Sokka hadn’t been nervous at all the past few days, instead consumed by his burning excitement to see him again and finally give him his gift. But now, with Zuko staring at him with a gentle smile and bright eyes, anxiety was creeping in and filling in the cracks in his excitement. He loved Zuko, and he knew Zuko loved him, but this was a big deal. What if he said no and then everything changed between them-

He shook himself. Zuko wouldn’t say no, he was almost certain of that. And on the slim chance that he did, it wouldn’t matter- it would sting a little, sure, but their relationship was strong enough that it wouldn’t ruin things between them. 

“Well,” he began, grateful when his voice came out steady. “I’m not sure if you remember, but a while ago I went to Kyoshi Island for a few days.”

Zuko nodded. “Yeah, at the beginning of the summer.”

He smiled at how remembered, tracing the lid of the box. “That  _ may _ have been a little bit of a lie. I didn’t go to Kyoshi Island, I went to Shu Jing to see Piandao. And while I was there I made… Well, it might be easier just to show you.”

With a deep breath, he placed the box between them and gestured for Zuko to open it. He did, and his breath caught as his eyes landed on the katana that lay inside it, cradled by a deep maroon silk lining. Sokka watched him anxiously as he reached out to pick it up with trembling hands. 

Zuko’s fingers ran over it reverently, pausing on each thing he noticed- the swirling silver and gold dragons along the scabbard and hilt, the deep maroon jewels set into the golden guard, the fine curve of the blade, the delicate golden fire lilies twining around the dragons. 

The intention behind it was clear, especially for Zuko who was raised knowing about Fire Nation proposal traditions, but still Sokka spoke quietly. 

“I love you, Zuko, more than I know what to do with sometimes. You are the most important person in my life, the most beautiful and strongest person I’ve met, my best friend, my partner, my true love… I’ve known for a long time that you’re the person I want to spend the rest of my life with, and so I went to Piandao and made you this. The dragons symbolize the strength of our love, the silver and gold coloring is for you and me, the lilies are so that you never forget my devotion to you, and the maroon gems symbolize just how passionately and confidently I love you. 

“I’ve had it for a long time, and I’ve just been waiting for the right moment to give it to you. But I realized this weekend that it was now. While you were gone, all I could think about was how much I missed you and how I never wanted to spend another day without your smile, without your laughter, without your touch… Without you just being near me. You’re my world, Zuko, and I would be honored if you’d let me call you my husband.”

Zuko was gazing at him with tears in his eyes as Sokka spoke, clutching the katana to his chest as happiness rolled off him in waves. As soon as he was done, though, Zuko didn’t say anything; he just set the sword aside, sprung to his feet, ran across the garden, and dove into a… Bush?

Sokka didn’t know what exactly to make of that, because he’d… Well, he thought his speech was good. He had missed some points, like how no one made him feel safer or made him laugh harder, but all in all it felt like it went okay. 

It felt like Zuko was going to yes.

But instead he was… In a bush. 

He wasn’t sure what to feel, a mess of confusion, anxiety, amusement, and hope swirling around in his heart and stomach. 

“Uh… Zuko?” he called out after there was a muffled grunt of pain from the bush. 

“Hang on, love, I almost got it!” came back the foliage muffled response. 

Well, that certainly didn’t help.

“Almost got  _ what?” _

Zuko straightened up and twirled around triumphantly, striding back confidently. Sokka noticed distantly that there were leaves in his hair, but it was eclipsed by the blinding smile Zuko wore and the box cradled in his hands- a lighter shade of wood, but the same shape as the one Sokka had just given him. 

Zuko resumed his position across from Sokka and shoved the box his way eagerly. “Open it? Please?”

“I- Okay,” he responded numbly, heart racing as he realized what was happening.

His hands trembled just like Zuko’s had as flicked open the latches and lifted the lid, and when he saw the sword laying in the box, the breath was knocked out of him.

Because the sword… Well, it wasn’t just any sword. He’d recognize the meteorite black blade anywhere, the triangular golden guard, the soft brown leather wrapping around the hilt, the golden pommel, the perfect balance… It was his space sword. 

There were some differences as he looked closer, like the tiny blue pieces of lapis set into the lotus flower on the flat of the pommel or the pattern of waves and moves engraved into the leather scabbard or how it was a little longer than the original, but _ it was his space sword. _

He’d never managed to find it after the war, despite all of their best efforts, and eventually he’d given up and resigned himself to making a new sword. Zuko had always known how much he missed it, though, and had… Well, he’d made a new one for him, and was proposing with it.

And suddenly, everything made a whole lot more sense- the lying but insisting everything was fine, the frantic letter writing, the last minute trip to Piandao’s, wanting to do dinner tonight…

“I don’t know how well I can follow up what you said, since we both know you’re better with words than I am,” Zuko began. “But Sokka, you’re my everything. You balance me out, keep me steady, help me be strong, stay by my side through whatever life throws at me… I truly believe we’re meant to be together- and I think the fact that we both planned to propose tonight, using swords no less, proves that. I love you, Sokka, more than words can say, and I’d be honored to call  _ you _ my husband.”

Sokka burst out laughing at how Zuko echoed his words, and set the sword aside carefully before flinging himself at him.

They toppled backwards, until Sokka was laying on top of Zuko and peppering his face with kisses.

“I love you,” Zuko laughed breathlessly. “I love you so much, and  _ of course _ I’ll marry you.”

“And nothing would make me happier than to marry  _ you,” _ he shot back cheekily, smiling down at his boyfriend- no,  _ his fiancé.  _

“Good,” Zuko beamed back, eyes sparkling with happiness. “That’s… That’s really good.”

Sokka flopped onto him, vibrating with content, and preened when Zuko’s arms came up to wrap around his waist. After a long moment where they were both quiet, just holding each other, Sokka said, “I knew you were lying about those grain reports.”

Zuko sighed fondly. “I know it was a bad excuse, but you startled me.”

“What were you actuallg looking at? I assume it wasn't work related.”

“No, it was the designs for the sword…. I made some changes, obviously, which hopefully is okay. I just knew that nothing I could make could replace your original, but I still wanted it to be special, you know? So I did a lot of writing to Piandao, your father, Katara, and Uncle to make sure everything would be right, and I sketched it out a lot and-”

Sokka cut him off by slotting their mouths together, overcome by just how much Zuko cared and just how in love with him he was. “It’s perfect, Zuko. It’s… I love it, baby.”

“I’m so glad,” Zuko sighed. “And thank you for mine. I didn’t say anything because I was sort of freaking out that we were both proposing tonight, but it’s amazing, Sokka. It’s absolutely beautiful, and I'm so touched that you made something like it for me.”

He beamed, kissing Zuko again, before he flopped down and said, “Piandao must have been laughing at us this whole time. I mean, knowing that we were both planning this and both went to him for help...”

“When is he not laughing at us?”

Sokka snorted, nuzzling into his chest. “A very good point… But honestly, I think it’s cute. Like you said, it’s just proof that we’re meant to be.”

“I didn’t need proof to know that,” Zuko mused. “I know where I belong, and I know it’s with you.”

And Sokka… Well, Sokka couldn’t think of anything more true- he knew where he belonged, too, and it was right here with Zuko.

Actually, he supposed, there was  _ one _ thing he could think of that was more true.

“You have leaves in your hair.”

**Author's Note:**

> Thank you as always for reading and for leaving comments/kudos, and check out my tumblr! ([@zukosadragon-ace](https://zukosadragon-ace.tumblr.com/))


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